An antifuse structure and methods of forming contacts within the antifuse structure. The antifuse structure includes a substrate having an overlying metal layer, a dielectric layer formed on an upper surface of the metal layer, and a contact formed of contact material within a contact via etched through the dielectric layer into the metal layer. The contact via includes a metal material at a bottom surface of the contact via and an untreated or partially treated metal precursor on top of the metal material.
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1. A method for forming contacts of an antifuse structure, the method comprising:
etching a contact via to an upper surface of a metal layer overlying a substrate;
depositing metal material at a bottom surface of the contact via and an untreated or partially treated metal precursor on top of the metal material; and
depositing contact material within the contact via to form a contact.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
5. The method of
depositing a treated metal precursor on top of the metal material;
depositing the untreated or partially treated metal precursor on top of the treated metal precursor; and
depositing a treated metal precursor on top of the untreated or partially treated metal material.
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This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/574,926, filed Oct. 7, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present invention relates to integrated circuit (IC) structures, and more specifically, to antifuses for in line circuit modification.
Fuses and antifuses have been used in integrated circuits for tailoring circuit parameters for optimal performance. Fuses increase the resistance of a circuit path when subjected to a programming current. Fuses typically include a fuse link and contact regions at both ends of the fuse link including a plurality of contacts of a uniformed size. The fuse has an underlying polycrystalline layer formed over a substrate and an overlying silicide layer. Fuses are “blown” by applying a voltage across the fuse structure. This voltage causes a current to flow and the structure to open, resulting in a permanent open circuit. Fuses are structures in which resistance is increased during programming and antifuses are structures in which resistance is decreased during programming.
Antifuses are structures that, when first fabricated, are an open circuit. When the antifuse is “fused,” the open circuit becomes closed and conduction across the antifuse becomes possible. Thus, antifuses are used to perform the opposite function of a fuse. Typically an antifuse is fused by applying a sufficient voltage, called a “fusing voltage” across the antifuse structure. This voltage causes a current to flow and the structure to fuse together, resulting in a permanent electrical connection.
Each contact formed on the contact regions is typically formed by etching a contact via to a surface of the substrate and depositing a metal material such as titanium (Ti) and organic carrier material within the via to the surface of the substrate by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process thereby evaporating the organic material and leaving the metal material on the surface of the substrate. This process is performed at a temperature of approximately 400 degrees Celsius. The processing temperature may be too low to completely evaporate the organic material; therefore, the metal material and any residual carbon containing material are then treated by an N2/H2 plasma to break a bond of the metal material and the carbon containing material. During this treatment, hydrogen reacts with the carbon containing material thereby evaporating the residual carbon containing material and the nitrogen reacts with the metal material and leaves a metal precursor which acts a liner within the contact via. Contact material is then deposited within the contact via to form the contact.
The present invention provides an antifuse structure including untreated metal precursor at a bottom surface of a contact via which remains in a high resistive state and becomes conductive upon applying a large programming current.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, an antifuse structure is provided. The antifuse structure includes a substrate having an overlying metal layer, a dielectric layer formed on an upper surface of the metal layer, and a contact formed of contact material within a contact via etched through the dielectric layer into the metal layer. The contact via includes a metal material at a bottom surface of the contact via and an untreated or partially treated metal precursor on top of the metal material.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, an antifuse structure is provided. The antifuse structure includes a substrate having an overlying metal layer, a dielectric layer formed on an upper surface of the metal layer, a trench formed in the metal layer and filled with a metal material and an untreated or partially treated metal precursor on top of the metal material, and a plurality of contacts formed within contact vias etched to a top of the trench and contacting the untreated or partially treated metal precursor.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, an antifuse structure is provided. The antifuse structure includes a substrate having an overlying metal layer, a plurality of contacts formed to the metal layer, and a tunnel formed between the plurality of contacts and filled with an untreated or partially treated metal precursor.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for forming contacts of an antifuse structure is provided. The method includes etching a contact via into a metal layer overlying a substrate, depositing metal material at a bottom surface of the contact via and an untreated or partially treated metal precursor on top of the metal material, and depositing contact material within the contact via to form a contact.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for forming contacts of an antifuse structure is provided. The method includes forming a trench in a metal layer overlying a substrate, depositing metal material in the trench and untreated or partially treated metal precursor on top of the metal material, planarizing the untreated or partially treated metal precursor within the trench, depositing a dielectric layer on the untreated or partially treated metal precursor, etching contact vias to an upper surface of the untreated or partially treated metal precursor, and depositing contact material within the contact vias to form contacts.
Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with the advantages and the features, refer to the description and to the drawings.
The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The forgoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an antifuse structure is provided that can be implemented within embodiments of the present invention. As shown in
Further in
Referring now to
Further in
Upon applying a large programming current through that material, the bond is broken between the metal material and the organic carrier material to place the antifuse structure 100 in a low resistance state. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a voltage is applied to the antifuse structure 100 to make the antifuse structure 100 conductive. The voltage ranges from approximately 2 volts (V) to approximately 20 volts (V), for example.
Contact material 28 such as tungsten (W) is then deposited within the contact via 20 to form the contact 18.
In
Embodiments of the present invention provide the advantages of using untreated metal precursor at the bottom surface of a contact via of each contact, thereby causing the contact to be resistive. By applying a large programming current, localized heat breaks the bond of metal and the organic carrier material, therefore resulting in a low resistance programming state causing the contact to be conductive.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one ore more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
The flow diagrams depicted herein are just one example. There may be many variations to this diagram or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a differing order or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention.
While the preferred embodiment to the invention had been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.
Wong, Keith Kwong Hon, Wang, Yun-Yu, Kane, Terence L., Tenney, Michael P.
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